


Dress to Impress

by ignite_pass_tetsuya



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: First Date, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Midorima tries to help him through it, Takao starts to have some doubts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 14:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6119277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ignite_pass_tetsuya/pseuds/ignite_pass_tetsuya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A discussion with a friend about Suzuki Tatsuhisa's incredible taste in T-shirts prompted this request:<br/>Midorima asks Takao out, but Takao takes it to be only as friends. Not wanting to overdress (because it's totally not a real date), he decides to go casual, and happenes to choose a shirt that isn't quite... appropriate in terms of language, and Midorima is not impressed.</p><p>This fic starts out a little more serious, but will get more light-hearted as it progresses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dress to Impress

**Author's Note:**

  * For [madridistagoblue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/madridistagoblue/gifts).



> Hello everyone! As I mentioned, this fic was inspired by a conversation with one of my friends about Tatsu's choice of T-shirts. I personally find them funny, and it inspired the idea for a little fic starring Midorima and Takao.
> 
> The fic (the first chapter, specifically) ended up taking on an entirely different shape that I thought it would, but I'm still pretty happy with it. I was trying to explore how I think their behavior around each other might be different when it's just the two of them.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! Any feedback is welcome!
> 
> Unbeta'd.

“Oi, Shin-chan. You about ready?” Takao slipped his basketball shoes into his bag and zipped it shut, looking over his shoulder for Midorima. The sight that greeted him was not an uncommon one; by this point in the season, he was used to waiting for his teammate to finish his overly-intricate post-practice routine.

“Yes. One moment.” Midorima finished wrapping the thin piece of athletic tape around his thumb and tore it from the roll, placing the remainder in the side pocket of his bag where it was always safely stored.

“You’re almost out again,” Takao noted. He reopened his bag and dug around for a moment, producing a brand new roll of tape and tossing it behind him. “Here.”

Midorima caught it with one hand. “I can buy my own tape, Takao,” Midorima said.

Takao clicked his tongue. “C’mon, Shin-chan. It’s no big deal. My mom had bought this for me after I jammed my finger at practice a few weeks ago, and it came in a pack of six. I have some to spare.”

Midorima quietly eyed him for a moment before responding. “Thank you.”

Takao giggled. “Aww, I even got a thank you!”

Midorima’s soft stare turned into a hard gaze. “Takao.”

“I’m just teasing!” Takao’s laughter quickly dissolved and he hiked his bag onto his shoulder. He started for the door to the locker room, but stopped abruptly. “Hey, Shin-chan?” he called out.

“What is it?”

“Does it really bother you when I tease you like that? I mean, it’s supposed to be harmless fun, but I don’t actually want to upset you or anything.”

There was a pause as Midorima considered his answer. Where was this coming from? It wasn’t often that Takao turned deadly serious about something, and the reasons behind this particular change in demeanor usually weren’t pleasant. Takao wasn’t one to overthink things, but his observation skills meant that almost nothing could be missed by him. Therefore, Midorima reasoned, it must’ve been something Takao saw in his previous reaction that lead him to believe he had overstepped boundaries.

He finally sighed. “No, it doesn’t bother me. Not in the way you’re afraid of. At times it can be rather trying to deal with, seeing as your energy is apparently limitless. However… I don’t feel as though you’re attacking my character with your little jokes, so I suppose I can let it go.”

Midorima expected Takao to break out in another fit of giggles, or maybe make a comment about how he was being too serious and needed to loosen up a little. He thought Takao would end up doubled over fighting back tears of laughter—heaven knows it happened often enough for the view to be burned in the back of Midorima’s mind. But Takao remained where he was, his shoulders moving only slightly as a few half-hearted huffs of laughter rolled through them. He turned around slowly, but wouldn’t meet Midorima’s gaze.

“Okay. Well, that’s good to know. I’ll, uh… Still try to be careful in the future, I guess. Make sure I don’t go too far. That kind of thing.” His slate blue eyes finally lifted to meet Midorima’s green ones. Though it wouldn’t be obvious to anyone else, Takao could read the slight surprise and confusion in them; a result of their countless hours spent together on the court. “Let’s go, yeah?”

Midorima grabbed his own bag and readjusted his glasses, nodding in response when further words failed him.

* * *

 

For the first time since becoming teammates, Midorima couldn’t read Takao like an open book. It was frustrating, to say the least, and a little bit of a slap in the face if he was honest with himself. His focus must be slipping.

Unexpectedly for him, he’d grown used to Takao’s sunny personality, welcoming it despite how much he might try to insist otherwise. At a time in his life when things were constantly changing and evolving around him as he began to think about his future endeavors, Takao’s presence was a comforting constant among the deafening noise. His demeanor was completely opposite from the rigid mannerisms he had been taught growing up, but truthfully, he would much rather have Takao’s ceaseless chatter fill the silence than have his parents nag him about the continuing importance of his performance in school and basketball. But to his chagrin, Takao remained silent on their way home, eyes fixed straight ahead but not truly _seeing_ anything with the blank stare he wore.

Midorima stopped walking, expecting Takao to do the same.

Takao saw everything. Usually.

“Takao.”

Takao jumped slightly, finally stopping. He looked uncharacteristically confused once he realized Midorima’s voice came from _behind_ him rather than _next to_ him, but he attempted to erase his shock before turning around.

“Shin-chan? What’s up?” The spark was still missing from Takao’s eyes.

“That particular question would be better directed at you.” Midorima took the few steps necessary to return to Takao’s side. “Something is troubling you.”

“Ah, it’s nothing!” Takao said quickly, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. The smile carved on his face was nowhere near genuine. He dropped his hand sheepishly, looking away. “Just have a lot on my mind is all.”

“Your behavior today has been rather odd,” Midorima stated bluntly. “You continue to fall in and out of this strange mood. And why is it that you suddenly refuse to look me in the eye? I’m not so dense that I don’t notice these changes in your mannerisms.” He could hear irritation begin to color his voice, so he closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm down. Getting frustrated was seldom the answer to anything, and it certainly wouldn’t help him here.

Takao remained silent for many heartbeats before finally sighing deeply. “It can’t hurt to explain it to you, I guess.” Takao shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his coat, looking to the sky. “Feels a little silly, honestly.”

Midorima remained silent, waiting for Takao to continue.

“I got yelled at the other day by my parents,” Takao began quietly. His voice held the timbre of a dejected child. “My sister had joined us a little late at dinner, since she had been finishing up a phone call with one of her friends from school. But… Well, you know me. I had to make a smart comment. ‘Oooh, was that your boyfriend? Got a big date this weekend?’ … Things like that. They seemed innocent, and I was laughing, but nobody else thought it was funny. It took me a bit to realize I had actually made her upset.”

Takao rolled back and forth from his toes to his heels to keep himself busy. “Long story short, I got a big lecture from my parents about how I needed to consider the feelings of others before I spoke, which turned into an even _bigger_ lecture about how I needed to grow up and be a better role model for my sister. It was a wake-up call, I guess. I realized that maybe my definition of ‘fun’ isn’t the best one, especially if it’s at the expense of others.”

Midorima was completely taken aback. Bright, bubbly Takao had turned from a source of boundless energy into a thundercloud of melancholy. He never thought he’d see the day… in the beginning, he would’ve found this change of pace immensely satisfying. Now that he knew Takao better, however, the change was startling—frightening, even.

He wasn’t great at handling situations like this. He knew that. Anything overly emotional wasn’t in his arsenal of strong points, but this case was also special. Midorima couldn’t have Takao out of focus, especially when tournaments were right around the corner. That was the _only_ reason, he told himself. He only wanted to cheer Takao up for the sake of the team. Right?

_Here goes everything._

“Takao,” he started simply. The man in question met his gaze. “I think… your parents may have a point.”

Takao gave a heartless chuckle, choosing now to stare at a pebble on the ground as he toed it with his shoe. “Yeah, Shin-chan, I get it. I understand that—“

“Wait. That’s not… what I meant.” Takao shut his mouth, returning his attention to Midorima and raising an eyebrow in question.

“Well? What did you mean, then?” he prompted.

Midorima sighed, closing his eyes and rubbing at his temple. “I’m not good at this…” he mumbled, mostly to himself.

“What was that? You okay?”

Midorima waved him off. “It was nothing… and yes. Yes, everything is fine. Just… collecting my thoughts.”

“Take your time. I’ve got all night, practically.” Midorima easily caught the underlying message: if a lingering conversation meant he could avoid another confrontation with his family, he would stay there with Midorima for as long as possible.

Midorima cleared his throat before beginning again. “I don’t think the solution is for you to change who you are, Takao. In fact, I believe the answer you’re looking for is a balance between when jokes are appropriate and when they are not.” Takao’s eyes widened. Midorima wasn’t one to offer life advice.

When Takao remained silent, Midorima continued. “That will be up to you to figure out yourself—reading the situation, that is. You’re already quite skilled at that on the court, but it’s now a matter of applying that skill to everyday situations and learning to filter what you say at certain times. If you feel that something could be taken the wrong way in a specific situation, you will have to learn to remain quiet as to not offend anyone. But there are also times when jokes and humor are acceptable, possibly even welcome. In that instance, I don’t believe anyone would want you to change your behavior. We have all come to accept it as a part of your personality, and having it become completely absent would be strange.”

“Try explaining that to my parents,” Takao said, the frustration obvious in his voice.

“I don’t believe _explanation_ is necessary. I believe in this case, actions may speak louder than words. Simply show them you understand by what you _do_. They’re sure to understand that it’s a process that will take time, but small progress is still progress.”

“I guess you’re right… ‘One step at a time’ and all of that.” Takao waved a hand dismissively.

“Precisely. In fact, this in itself should already be considered progress.”

“Tch. That’s a little generous, Shin-chan. I appreciate the thought, but you can be honest with me.”

“I already am.” Midorima’s voice had dropped dangerously low.

Takao looked to his best friend, his framed eyes conveying nothing but honesty. There was no trace of humor visible, nothing to tell Takao that this was all some big ploy to build him up only to watch him get torn back down. Then again, Midorima was never one for playing unnecessary games. Everything Midorima was saying and doing really amounted to one thing: Midorima believed in him. And the trust they now shared stemmed from belief in _each other_.

That trust hadn’t come very quickly. It was easy for Takao to look back and remember how things had been at the start – truthfully, that time hadn’t even been that long ago. But earning Midorima’s trust had been a process that he had been determined to complete from the start. It had taken some time for Takao to understand his teammate enough to get close to him, and to convince him that he was a worthy point guard, even for a member of the Generation of Miracles. Eventually, with enough time to prove himself through his performance on the court, Midorima had chosen to trust him completely. The teamwork they unveiled against Rakuzan was enough to prove that.

“I understand,” Takao whispered, realization dawning.

“You were able to prove yourself to me,” Midorima said. “Therefore, I have evidence that you are capable. My argument has merit, and I want you to understand that above anything else.” Midorima paused when Takao turned to face him fully. His eyes were clear and focused now, as if he were trying to reveal every hidden part of himself through them. He shuffled forward slowly, one foot in front of the other, until he was nearly chest-to-chest with Midorima. Midorima held his breath, flinching slightly when Takao dropped his head to rest directly over where his heart was beating. Midorima took a single step back and placed a hand on Takao’s shoulder as if to shove him away, but he stopped when he noticed the small smile Takao now wore.

Midorima had started to come to terms with the reality that he very much cared for Takao. He denied it for as long as possible without driving himself crazy, head and heart at war with each other. He assumed it to be a phase in the beginning, since Takao had been the first person to even TRY to get to know him at Shuutoku. He played his emotions off as simply being glad someone had taken the time to know and understand him. But as time went on, the feeling continued to grip his chest and grow even _stronger_. But with that came the fear that he would scare Takao away, as he was certain his feelings toward his teammate were quite different than the ones Takao harbored for him.

The most surprising thing, he realized, was that he didn’t actually _mind_ the current situation. Surprising, because he was not a touchy person. _At all._ Displays of affection were not his thing, and especially not in public. But when it came to looking out for Takao, his mind reacted differently. And instead of retracting his hand, he began to rub small circles into Takao’s shoulder.

He spoke before his head had the chance to overrule his heart. “You are capable of wondrous things, Takao, and I don’t want you to be under the impression that you have to change anything about yourself in order to reach them.” Midorima’s voice had dropped to a whisper now, too.

Takao giggled, eyes closing and lips turning up further at the corners. “Where’s this all coming from, Shin-chan?” he asked. “This isn’t like you.”

“… Nowhere.” Midorima adjusted the bag on his shoulder absentmindedly and cleared his throat. Noting the change in atmosphere, Takao made to step away, but Midorima spoke again before he got far.

It was now or never. And the feeling in his gut told him _now_.

“Takao… W-what would you…”

_Did I just…?_

“Did you just _stutter_ , Shin-chan? You’re really off tonight, aren’t you? Are you nervous or something? It’s just me,” Takao said matter-of-factly.

“I’m fine,” Midorima said, more harshly than he intended. Takao looked at him quizzically. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so harsh… I was trying to ask you what your plans were for Saturday. And if you were free, perhaps you would like to go to dinner with me.”

“Dinner? What for?”

Midorima could feel his pulse pounding in his throat. He _was_ nervous, more than he would ever care to admit. He knew this could either be a potential turning point for them, or it could cause Takao to never speak to him again. But he had never been one to leave things to chance. When he wanted something, he went for it, carving out his destiny with his own two hands. He just hoped he wasn’t also digging himself into a hole he couldn’t climb out of.

“I wish to take you out,” he blurted out, much too quickly.

Well. That probably could’ve gone better.

“Why didn’t you just say so? Sure, Shin-chan!” Takao giggled. He seemed more like himself now than he had all night, and Midorima felt himself relax a little.

“Perfect. Can I trust you will be ready by 6:00?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sure! Of course!”

“That’s settled, then.”

Takao’s lingering giggles diffused into the cool air, leaving a comfortable silence between them.

“Well, I guess I should actually head home now. I can’t delay it forever.”

“You have my number if you require assistance in any way.”

Takao gave him a warm smile. “Thanks, Shin-chan. And thanks for everything else, too. I think I’m gonna try taking your advice and see how things play out for a while.” He took a steadying breath. “Really, though… thanks for everything. I should probably work on giving you credit where’s it due, too. I’ll add it to my list.” Takao winked at him.

Midorima pushed up his glasses, partially concealing his eyes behind his hand. “That isn’t necessary,” he managed to choke out around his embarrassment. “Thank you for the offer, but—“

“Oi, stop that. You’ve spent this entire time trying to tell me that I’m important, so just let me have one moment to return the favor, okay? If you really don’t like it, I won’t keep doing it, but let me have this one moment.”

Midorima gave a single curt nod, his hand dropping back down by his side. He was thankful Takao didn’t push the issue further; he didn’t want to have explain that he _liked_ the compliment. That it was nice to be recognized by someone who appreciated the effort that went into his talent for once, instead of just being known as “a kid from the Generation of Miracles”, constantly defined by a label and the pressures that come with it. Takao had taken the time to really understand him, and he’s always appreciated that. But there was no way he could tell Takao… That would make him too open and vulnerable.

Takao gave him a pat on the shoulder and grabbed his own bag from the ground, slinging it over his shoulder. “Anyway, I really gotta go now before I get in even more trouble. See you at school tomorrow!” He continued walking away, whistling as he went. It was almost as if the entire exchange never happened.

Midorima sighed heavily, turning around and walking back the way he and Takao had come from. He decided it would be beneficial to take the long way home so he could clear his head a bit before inevitably starting homework and other such tasks.

Saturday was two days away, but something told him it would feel much longer than that. Hopefully Oha-Asa would send some luck his way.


End file.
